Chapter 11 - Observer
◆ The Calculations of the One Who Makes the Lone Warrior Be Observed
A sixteen-year-old noble child would attend the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
This was when one was recognized as a full member of the nobility. Even in the frontier regions where my family resided, a celebratory banquet was held. At the church, the newly recognized adult nobles swore an oath to work for the people and their family. Here in the royal capital, however, the ceremony was somewhat different. Instead of swearing to God, one swore allegiance to His Majesty the King. However, the King himself only attended this ceremony once every five years. A member of the royal family, acting as His Majesty’s representative, visited the Magic Academy to receive the oaths of allegiance from the sixteen-year-old young men and women who had decided their futures.
That year, the Second Prince reached his sixteenth birthday as a royal. Therefore, it was expected that the ceremony would be quite grand. Two years ago, at the First Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony, His Majesty the King had attended the Magic Academy’s ceremony, so this year, it was anticipated that a representative from the royal family would stand in his place.
That being said, it was still a ceremony where the Second Prince himself would be present, and I could sense that the Magic Academy was putting significant effort into its preparations.
The problem for me, however, had to do with my partner. Naturally, after the ceremony, a grand ball was held as a thank-you celebration. Since this event marked the debut of promising young gentlemen and ladies into society, their families were also invited. A social dance, a staple of such grand balls, had also been planned.
To perform the first dance gracefully with one’s betrothed.
It was an important ritual, marking one’s first step into society as both a lady and a gentleman. Students at the Magic Academy typically decide on their betrothed before enrolling. I understood that it was a significant moment to leave my mark in society alongside the person I would walk my future with.
However, my engagement had been broken. I hadn’t been in contact with the viscount’s daughter for quite some time. My family had even sent a certificate confirming the dissolution of our engagement. The approval stamp of the marquis, the chief lord who had been the main instigator of the engagement, was firmly affixed to this official document.
In other words, I was left with no choice but to attend this important ceremony alone, without a partner for the first dance. Since then, I had occasionally overheard rumors about my former fiancée, the viscount's daughter. Gathering information was an indispensable skill for anyone navigating noble society. Even as the son of a frontier knightly noble, I had stepped into the world of nobility, and I made sure to diligently keep up with the art of information gathering.
Therefore, the rumors surrounding my former fiancée could only be described as scandals.
From what I heard that day in the hallway from the Grand Duke's daughter, the decision had been made at the privy council to use my former fiancée's actions as a touchstone for the higher-ranking noble heirs. In other words, for the past five years, their words and actions, as well as their influence within noble society, had been observed.
I understood that if I made any move toward my former fiancée, it would interfere with that observation, which was why the engagement had been quickly nullified. If I had been the son of a higher-ranking noble, then, at this point, when such a situation arose, my partner for the celebration would likely have been carefully selected by the royal family or other high-ranking nobles.
But, my family held the lowest rank in the kingdom's nobility, a knightly house. And as the third son, there was no way that such consideration would be given to me. Furthermore, even if I remained in the royal capital, there were no prospects for advancement, and having declared my intention to return to the frontier, there was no noblewoman who would be suitable for me. Perhaps there simply weren't any suitable candidates to arrange for. I was, in essence, an anomaly within an anomaly.
--- Thus, I merely watched the surrounding noise with indifference.
There was nothing I could do, and I did not contact my former fiancée. I simply continued to live my days as usual. At the very least, I wanted to fulfill whatever I could before returning to the frontier. Some of my classmates noticed the annulment of my engagement, but they couldn’t grasp the intention behind it. Taking into account that I had left my former fiancée unattended, they apparently concluded that the fault lay with me.
――― So it was.
The decision made without the knowledge of the noble children was that my actions were deemed worthy of criticism within the Magic Academy. As a result, I had been pushed into a very difficult situation, which could rightly be seen as a consequence of my own actions. The underlying will of the high-ranking individuals was clear: Remain silent and endure, and I had no choice but to accept the situation.
However, there were some who had sharp eyes. Among the high-ranking nobles who resided in the royal capital, there were true nobles who could feel the unspoken voices of their relatives. In the royal palace, where all manner of demons roamed, some did not neglect gathering information in order to secure their position. They would carefully combine fragments of information, think deeply, and, in light of the situation, imagine what was unfolding. Moreover, within that context, they would search for the best possible course of action.
"Do you have formal attire?"
"Well, sort of."
"Let me guess, it’s something provided by the academy, right? It’d be a bit inappropriate to wear that to the ceremony."
"I can’t wear something I don’t have."
"Hmm. I see. I remember that boldness of yours caught the faculty's attention. Well, never mind. Tomorrow, lend me your face."
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
"This is a favor, understand? Keep in mind that there are people who want to have some connection with you, even if just a little."
"So... you’re saying this is some kind of maneuver to win me over?"
"That’s one way to put it. You’re quite quick on the uptake. Sometimes, you have to dress appropriately for the occasion, especially in the social circles of the royal capital. Surely, you wouldn’t go into a forest overrun with monsters with your bare hands, would you?"
"I see. So you’ll take care of the logistics, and I can fight however I wish."
"Remember, there are such families in the royal capital as well."
"Hmm. Then I’m grateful."
He was the kind of man who, when it came to military matters, sought to align himself with those in power. The son of a marquis, who held the position of Minister of War. I remember hearing he had a twin brother. One of them was serving the Second Prince. Come to think of it, I had seen a similar-looking young man by the Second Prince’s side... One of those who had been swayed by my former fiancée and her associates...
But apparently, that young lord was different. He exuded a lighter atmosphere, and the rumors suggested he was a rather frivolous person. I would have to reconsider my assessment of him. We hadn’t exchanged much conversation, and he wasn’t connected to my family’s lords. He was from an entirely different faction.
―――― An indecisive, delicate man.
He was known for handling everything effortlessly. Unlike me, he was planning to attend the prestigious Military Academy for advanced military training, and if he completed that course, even though he wasn’t the firstborn, he would meet the conditions to serve in the royal palace.
No, he was probably expected to become a field commander. His connections within the military’s upper ranks were likely strong.
If he were a member of a high-ranking noble family, he could rely on his parents' influence to secure an appointment, but he seemed determined to walk the hardest path. He had the resolve to climb the ladder of power, step by step, on his own merit.
Contrary to his usual lighthearted words and actions, he was quietly treading a path that required immense resolve. I secretly admired this about him...
――― But I kept that thought to myself.
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